This is exactly why I run winter sugar patties. I find it cheap insurence.
Here in Virginia USA we sometimes get nice weather and good growth in
February and part of march, but the can get an extended period of cold and
or rain and large populations will burn through the remaining winter stores
rapidly when producing alot of heat for brood and a large population.

I found many times over the years that the clusters directly in contact
when clustering with some source of sugar food, survives and thrives while
others can starve.

Even if this weather pattern doesn't occur the sugar source can stimulate
growth for our short nectar flow...

I usually spend $6 per hive in commercial bee company winter patties (yes i
know there are cheaper methods as previously mentioned but pre made patties
works on my schedule...) on a year I do proper fall feeding and about $10
to $15 on years I am lazy (or busy) and add patties earlier in the
winter...

I have actually carried nucs and single deeps with literally zero honey
stored all winter long on just winter patties... they are not the strongest
but they survive... and for $20 or so in a pinch it works...

Either way with around 30 hives a winter I find this cheap and reasonable
insurence. As even if one hive survives because of it it covers the cost
easily through the sale of a nuc and the honey production...

Just my two cents...

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